Behind the Scenes Images from Timelapse Photography Project

In his stunning timelapse entitled Epochs, photographer Sean Goebel compiled sequences shot in California, Arizona, Utah, and Hawaii to create a piece of photographic art that depicts some of America’s most beautiful landscapes. However, at just over 4 minutes long, the presentation doesn’t even begin to represent the hours of work and the dedication and determination that went into this labor of love:

The result of multiple road trips and backpacking trips, some serious hiking, many late nights, and lots of patience, “Epochs” demonstrates the range of what can be achieved with timelapse. Goebel used a variety of equipment–some borrowed, some rigged up on the fly–but shot primarily with a Canon 5D Mark II.

at the San Francisco Bay Bridge

Goebel originally discovered the perspective and location used in the photo above while browsing on Google Earth. Though it took some time to actually find the right location (and required some jogging along a busy highway and scaling a cliff to drop down to the beach below), he felt the resulting shots were well worth it. You can see his setup below:

Another location, Upper Cathedral Lake in Yosemite, made it into the video as the result of waiting four hours for a hiking pass and a night spent camping on a rocky overhang. Goebels and a friend passed up the touristy and more popular Lower Cathedral Lake for the opportunity to shoot the more picturesque Upper Lake.

at Upper Cathedral Lake, Yosemite National Park

More of the camera setups for each scene can be scene here:

“This scene almost ended very badly, but instead we just got a $35 parking ticket. ‘Nuff said.”

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